A funnel leaks when people drop out between stages more than they should. The leak is rarely where the team is looking. Teams often blame the ads, when the real drop is on the landing page or in the first sales reply.
Step 1: map the stages
Write each stage in plain words: saw the ad, visited the page, started the form, booked a call, attended, became a customer. Keep the list short and honest.
Step 2: measure each handoff
Calculate the conversion rate between every pair of stages for the same period. Compare with your own past numbers before comparing with any benchmark, since businesses differ widely.
Step 3: fix the biggest, cheapest drop first
- Ad to page: does the page deliver what the ad promised in the first screen?
- Page to form: is the form longer than the value you offer?
- Lead to call: how fast is the first reply, and does it answer the question that was asked?
- Call to customer: is the offer clear, and is the next step obvious?
Watch for hidden leaks
Lead scoring rules that reject good leads, slow follow-up and tracking gaps all look like demand problems. Check the tracking first.
Measure the same stages again after each change. A funnel is a system, so one fix often reveals the next leak.